Category: jewelry

??When you create jewelry pieces with beads you are really allowing yourself a lot of versatility, because there are so many styles, shapes, and colors of beads to choose from. You can even have beads handcrafted to the specific shape and size that you want.

Beaded jewelry is some of the easiest to make, so if you are interested in getting started in jewelry making and not sure where to start, this is a great place. Beaded jewelry is extremely authentic and beautiful, and can even be very elegant if done properly. If you want to start making beaded jewelry the best beginning piece is a necklace.

Materials

There are a few materials that you are going to need to make your first piece of beaded jewelry, a necklace. This includes jewelry wire, bead design boards, beading needle, beading threads, flat work surfaces, beads, craft glue, scissors, and a pair of high quality flat nose pliers.

Getting Started

The first step in making a beaded necklace is to choose a length for the necklace. You can use your own neck as a guide even if you are making the necklace for someone else. Once you have decided on the length of necklace that you want, you will need to purchase the appropriate amount of beading thread, adding on a few extra inches to ensure that there will be enough.

Then you want to come up with a design idea for the beads, and this is where the design bead board will come in handy. Make sure that you have enough beads to fill the thread and also have spacer beads handy, which are the beads that go in between the larger sized beads. Now you want to knot one end of the thread, using scissors to trim off the excess thread.

Begin by pushing a bead tip over the open end of the thread and then string your beads and thread on the other bead tip so that the open end of the tip faces away from the strung beads. Now you want to tie a loose knot in this end of the thread and use a long pin to push the knot down into the open end of the bead tip.

The final step is to hook up the clasp, and after that you are finished and have completed your first piece of beaded jewelry. You can now feel more comfortable moving on to more difficult pieces, such as earrings, brocades, hair barrettes, and anklets.

??Jewelry is a very personal choice. If you want to give that someone a special gift, there is nothing more appropriate than a piece of silver jewelry. This is because silver has a timeless charm that far exceeds that of gold. Silver is also a cost effective alternative to the luxurious and high-in-demand platinum.

What Type Is The Best For You?

Many people are not aware that there are many types of silver jewelry and so they settle for whatever the salesperson suggests. Well, you have a choice, and it would be good if you knew what it is before you go for shopping.

The purest form of silver available in the market is marked by 999/1000 stamp which you will find on the jewelry that uses it. However, this type of silver is not recommended for daily wear because it is too soft (and gets bent easily) and it oxidizes too fast turning into an unsightly dirty brownish-black color on exposure to humidity, water or sweat.

If you want to wear your jewelry on a daily basis without worrying about a thing, go for the sterling silver jewelry. The sterling silver is an alloy which consists of 92.5 silver and the rest copper. This alloy is shiny white and does not oxidize easily. In fact, in many cases it looks even better than platinum making it a great buy for all occasions and ages. Sterling silver jewelry is given a finish with Rhodium for a shinier look.

For those who are looking for fancy and inexpensive silver jewelry, there is the silver plated range. These types however are for occasional wear because the silver plating comes off if it is used daily or is exposed to water and other elements. While you are at it, you could check out the nickel silver jewelry which is so called because it looks like sterling silver though this contains absolutely no silver.

Lastly, you have the German silver or white metal which is an alloy of copper, nickel and zinc. This is a great material often used to make jewelry as well as decorative figurines. This is economical, durable and very attractive.

Next time you go shopping for silver jewelry you could look up all the silver types before deciding which type would suit your taste and budget best and in the process have a lot of fun. Silver or silver-like jewelry is incredibly attractive and fashionable today and as such looks great on everybody.